Lovely gravy matey!

My parents were genius gravy makers, their gravy was always so delicious I wanted to use my finger to wipe up the last smear from my plate – I was about six at the time! I couldn’t believe my sister didn’t like gravy… did she really not, or was it just to be different from me? Gravy was made from the juices – the fat skimmed off, of whichever meat ha been cooked – beef, pork or lamb – chicken in those days was too expensive. Water, extra flavour from Oxo, thickening from Bisto, sometimes a little milk, and that was it. They didn’t drain the water from vegetables, that would make it too salty, dad said – and with the salt in the Oxo and Bisto he was no doubt right. The gravy was unctuous, thick but not too thick… and it was served in a gravy boat on its own saucer. I’ve never been able to make it as good as that, although I do have a gravy-boat..

I make gravy in the same way, and it’s not bad, but not as good as mum and dad’s. On one occasion a friend came for dinner – he had an on/off/on/off home life with either a wife, second/third wife, girl friend/ lady friend, and despite being an apparently successful and popular man was, I think often lonely. He came for diner and Mexicali ‘Lovely gravy, matey!’ which has since become a family saying.

Gravy has always been important in the family, going back to the previous generation. When my dad was a boy, if they had sausages for breakfast they would have a special thin gravy with them – I have no idea what thin gravy was – ordinary gravy watered down maybe, or some particular concoction my grandma made… I must ask my cousin if they know. I’m not sure I would want gravy for breakfast, but I’m willing to try it in the interests of family history!

The word gravy seems to have a strange origin – apparently it is a derivation from a french word which was a misspelling of a word meaning seasoned or spiced… My dad often called gravy gyppo – whether that was another family word or slang he picked up in the army, I really don’t know, but it’s a word we use… will it be carried on with our children? I somehow doubt it!